All the Devils' hottest news, from notes to numbers to neutral-zone traps

Tuesday, June 17, 2014

The NHL’s first buyout period for 2014 – and the last chance for teams to use compliance buyouts – began Monday and runs through June 30. If the Devils are going to use their one remaining compliance buyout – they used the other on goaltender Johan Hedberg last summer – don’t expect it to happen before near the end of the window.

Devils general manager Lou Lamoriello said today that the decision has not been made yet whether the team will use its remaining compliance buyout and that because there is still some time before that decision has to be made, he will use it.

“That’s correct,” Lamoriello said.

When asked if he has the O.K. from ownership to use the compliance buyout if he decides that is the proper move, Lamoriello replied, “I’m not going to get into any discussions on anything like that, but ownership has been supportive of everything asked.”

There has been some speculation that the Devils might use their remaining compliance buyout on defenseman Anton Volchenkov, who has two years left on his contract with a cap hit $4.25 million.

A result of the 2012-13 NHL owners’ lockout, a compliance buyout is like a regular buyout in that it allows the team to buy out the remainder of the player’s contract at two-thirds the remaining value with the payment spread over twice the remaining years. Unlike the regular buyout, the compliance buyout payments are not charged against the team’s salary cap.

This is the last year in which teams can use their remaining compliance buyouts and they must be used by 5 p.m. on June 30. Compliance buyouts can only be used on contracts signed prior to the 2012-13 lockout.

*** Lamoriello said defenseman Bryce Salvador, who was shut down for the final 10 games of the regular season because of an inflammation of a labrum tear in his right hip, is “100 percent” and has had no problems since beginning his off-season workouts last month.

Salvador, 38, has one year left on his three-year, $9.5 million contract (cap hit of $3,166,667).

Lamoriello also said left wing Ryane Clowe, who sustained his second concussion of the season when he hit his head on the boards following a check from Florida’s Quinton Howden on March 31, is “fine with the knowledge we know” and has been working out in the off-season.

***The interview period for teams to speak to potential unrestricted free agents begins on June 25 or a week from Wednesday. Teams can recruit players from other teams that window, which runs until June 30, but cannot make official contract offers until noon on July 1.

Goaltender Martin Brodeur has already said he intends to explore the UFA market (and likely will not be back). It remains to be seen if any other Devils will end up on the UFA market.

Lamoriello, who has already re-signed Jaromir Jagr and Marek Zidlicky and kept them from becoming UFAs, said again today he would like to re-sign defenseman Mark Fayne.

He said similar of his all three members of his fourth line – Ryan Carter, Stephen Gionta and Steve Bernier.

“We’d like to bring them back,” Lamoriello said.

Gionta’s agent, Stephen Bartlett said it is still early in the process, but the tone of contract discussions has been “positive” so far.

“We’ve had good faith talks and will continue to do so,” Bartlett said.

In fact, Bartlett believes “there’s a good chance” the sides will be able to reach a deal before July 1.

“We seem to have pretty good luck getting stuff done. I think Stephen would like to stay. There’s a lot of loyalty both ways, I think.”

Bernier reiterated his position that he’d like to remain a Devil, but said there have been no contract talks of significance so far.

“Right now we’re just waiting,” Bernier said. “It’s coming soon, but at the same time we still have a lot of time to work something out.”

Bernier said he had a “good meeting” at the end of the season with management.

“Whether they want me to come back, I don’t know,” he said. “I’m going to wait for a call on either decision.”

Bernier said he hasn’t even thought about the idea of talking other teams during the interview period or after July 1 because his focus is on returning to the Devils.

“I know what I’m capable of,” he said. “I know last year was not so good of a season with a lot of ups and downs, but I know what I did the year before and I know I can repeat that easily. That being said, now it’s about confidence and being able to sign a deal.”

That the free agent interview period begins before the NHL Entry Draft (June 27 and 28 in Philadelphia) and extends until June 30 should make it an interesting few days with teams shuffling between conducting their drafts, trying to re-sign their players and talking to potential UFAs from other teams.

Last year, the interview period did not begin until the day after the draft.

***Bartlett also represents former Devil Brian Gionta, who like younger brother Stephen is a potential UFA. The Canadiens have expressed a desire to re-sign Brian Gionta, who has served as their captain since 2010, and contract talks have picked up in intensity this week.

“We’re just kind of in discussions and the next probably few days will be critical to see (what happens),” Bartlett said. “We just kind of got serious about it in the last day or two, so we’ll kind of see what kind of progress we make on that one and whether he becomes a July 1 guy.”

Another Bartlett client, former Rangers captain Ryan Callahan, is in “good faith” talks with the Tampa Bay Lightning, but it’s unclear whether they will reach an agreement before Callahan is able to explore the market next week.

“Whether or not it gets done, it’s really hard to say for me,” Bartlett said. “I think that one could tip either way.”

One Bartlett client definitely headed to market is left wing Thomas Vanek, who started the season in Buffalo, was traded to the Islanders and then dealt again to Montreal at the March 5 deadline.

“He went through three teams in order to stick to that position and I don’t think that’s changing,” Bartlett said. “I think he’s been pretty firm on that for the last year and is going to stick by that. Nothing is going to change between now and July 1on on him, I don’t think.”

About

TOM GULITTI has covered the New Jersey Devils for The Record since 2002. Prior to that, he covered the New York Rangers for four years. Gulitti joined The Record in 1998 after six years at The North Jersey Herald News. He graduated from Binghamton University in 1991 with a Bachelor of Arts in Rhetoric-Literature.